The next adventurous phase of my life began with my enrolment at De La Salle Oaklands, a private school for Catholic boys. It is located on Farnham Ave, south of St Clair, and the lower campus is visible from Avenue Road. The School was under the tutelage of the Christian Brothers. Only 3 of the neighbourhood gang had enrolled at De La Salle. Paul C was already at the school in Grade 11. I approached my first day at 'Del' alone and with much trepidation. This was a day that began with a long walk to the Yonge Streetcar and a longer ride downtown to St. Clair and Yonge. It was a 4 or 5 block walk to the school from there. I was alone and feeling lost. I arrived at the school with 5 minutes to spare. There were portable boards set up with class lists and Home Form assignments. By the time I discovered where I needed to get to, the halls were quiet and empty. On my way to the classroom a door suddenly flew open. A body came flying out and slammed into the lockers opposite followed by some books and a shoe. A loud voice from inside the room cried out, "Don't ever come late to my home room!" I stepped gingerly over the shoe and ran down a flight of stairs. Immediately to my right was 9C my home room. What to do now? I opened the door slowly and peeked in ready to take off. A gentle voice at the front of the room greeted me, "Hi there, you must be Anthony. Your desk is up here." Imagine my relief. My fear dissolved and the next half hour was spent sizing up my new Home Room Teacher, Brother Paul.
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| DE LA SALLE 'OAKLANDS' |
The school was amazing and my Grade 9 year was spent playing football on the 98 pound team at Del, enjoying the humour of Brother Paul teaching French and the day to day adventures and misadventures that always arose. The 'highlights' included, rotating classes, lunch time intramural sports, playing house league hockey, enjoying new-found friends and participating in Nobby Wirkowski's Gym classes once a week.
Brother Matthew taught English and how to develop quick reflexes. He constantly doled out knuckles to the head or kicks to the shins in the event his knuckle assault was blocked. The classes were lively and entertaining. He had a sharp wit and enjoyed a good riposte at his expense. The class respected and appreciated his efforts.
Brother Clement was a coward. He taught algebra, in a totally confusing manner, right after our gym class. Guys used to wander in late, due to showering and recounting the humorous events in that day's gym session. One day, Clem, as we called him, announced that the next person who came late to his class would be sorry. The lesson began and the rear door opened. Clem took off towards the door in a fury. In walked all 6'4" of Ted Farrell. Clem screached to a halt and said, "Oh, Farrell, take your seat." a few miniutes later little Eric McCluhan made an entrance. Clem ran over and proceeded to beat the crap out of him.
Brother Wilfred, a short, grizzled little pecker head taught Latin and frequently lapsed into a distracted reverie. It was like he had left the scene temporarily. During these interruptions, the class would become a mad-house of laughter and jousting. When Brother snapped back to reality it was actually amazing to see how quickly order was restored. He was not hesitant in unleashing a closed-fist barrage against those who were late in settling down.
In Nobby's gym class we never warmed up; instead the class began with a pick-up game upon arrival. He would roll out the ball to indicate which game was on that day's menu. He was the current Quarterback for the Toronto Argos and coached the senior football team. His marking scheme was simple. He would stand on the 20 yard line and have the class run 10 yard hook patterns. When the ball was rocketed at you an A was earned for catching it. If it went through your hands and hit you in the face you were awarded a B. A ball striking the gut or 'goolies' earned the receiver several seconds of writhing on the ground and a grade of C. If the ball hit you directly in the face, you earned a D and a trip to the dreaded school nurse. If you refused to participate in the drill you earned an F. There were many ohs, ahs, guffaws and howls of laughter during test time. Nobby always joined in.
Brother Matthew taught English and how to develop quick reflexes. He constantly doled out knuckles to the head or kicks to the shins in the event his knuckle assault was blocked. The classes were lively and entertaining. He had a sharp wit and enjoyed a good riposte at his expense. The class respected and appreciated his efforts.
Brother Clement was a coward. He taught algebra, in a totally confusing manner, right after our gym class. Guys used to wander in late, due to showering and recounting the humorous events in that day's gym session. One day, Clem, as we called him, announced that the next person who came late to his class would be sorry. The lesson began and the rear door opened. Clem took off towards the door in a fury. In walked all 6'4" of Ted Farrell. Clem screached to a halt and said, "Oh, Farrell, take your seat." a few miniutes later little Eric McCluhan made an entrance. Clem ran over and proceeded to beat the crap out of him.
Brother Wilfred, a short, grizzled little pecker head taught Latin and frequently lapsed into a distracted reverie. It was like he had left the scene temporarily. During these interruptions, the class would become a mad-house of laughter and jousting. When Brother snapped back to reality it was actually amazing to see how quickly order was restored. He was not hesitant in unleashing a closed-fist barrage against those who were late in settling down.
In Nobby's gym class we never warmed up; instead the class began with a pick-up game upon arrival. He would roll out the ball to indicate which game was on that day's menu. He was the current Quarterback for the Toronto Argos and coached the senior football team. His marking scheme was simple. He would stand on the 20 yard line and have the class run 10 yard hook patterns. When the ball was rocketed at you an A was earned for catching it. If it went through your hands and hit you in the face you were awarded a B. A ball striking the gut or 'goolies' earned the receiver several seconds of writhing on the ground and a grade of C. If the ball hit you directly in the face, you earned a D and a trip to the dreaded school nurse. If you refused to participate in the drill you earned an F. There were many ohs, ahs, guffaws and howls of laughter during test time. Nobby always joined in.
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| NOBBY WIRKOWSKI WITH THE 1952 ARGOS |
Students were not allowed to smoke within 2 blocks of the school. Offenders were exposed to the plastic yard stick which also served as the treatment for homework not completed. The Brothers were not schooled in pedagogy but certainly expert at developing discipline and compliance. The students quickly developed their own teacher rating system based on propensity to wield the ruler, patience, empathy, intelligence and friendliness. Classes were always fun and filled with anticipation as to who would become the next target of teacher's wrath.
Pere Gere discovered near the end of the season, that I was staying after school to practice football. He forbade me to do this any longer but I lied and said that I needed to spend time in the Library after school. I managed to complete the football season with some careful manoeuvring. Grades 10 and 11 were restricted to studies homework and books during the school year. I was dropped off and picked up after school by Gerardo. Late in my grade 11 year the TTC began a bus service from the Hogs Hollow terminal to Bayview and Finch. This service became known as 'The Bayview'. It dropped me a block from home and mercifully precluded the daily pickups from home. It was on this bus route that I became pre-occupied with girls. Two of my favourites were Judy and Marie. Judy was dark-skinned, around my age, and a friend of Cristina. Marie was 2 years older and reminded me of Kim Novak. I remember resorting to foolish attention-grabbing antics in order to gain their approval. Sometimes they worked but most of the time they did not.
Home life continued much as it had for the last 4 years. The summers were fun-filled days of baseball and football with the neighbourhood gang. In 1955, I found a part time job delivering orders for a drug store via bicycle. I would start at 4PM and work until 7PM on weekdays and Saturdays from 8 AM to 12 Noon. I was paid $5 per week. The hours dictated a late supper but allowed time for Saturday afternoon sports and Maple Leaf Baseball games. Sundays after church, I was driven to Pickering where Gerardo was in the process of building 3 new homes. My job was to clean the basements of the new houses, paint doors and dig service trenches for the homes. In return for my labour I was given access to a 1954 'Slush-o-matic' Chrysler that achieved 10 miles per quart of oil and 12 miles per gallon of gas. I had to share this vehicle with Cristina who was now working at Air Canada for a decent wage.
Since she paid for the gas and oil I had little leverage; however, she was very fair in sharing its use. Maybe I was fortunate that her dates always did the driving.
Jonny taught me how to drive his 1952 Ford standard transmission. I am not sure who taught Cristina to drive; if in fact, anyone had. She was a singularly unskilled driver and I recall going with her and dad for her licensing test. I watched from the curb as she began the test by lurching forward and proceeding to run a stop sign. I could see my gasoline provisions slipping away. Upon her return to the bureau offices she collided with and levelled a parking meter while attempting to angle park. Tears started to flow as she realized her failure was assured. I could not restrain myself from emitting a few brotherly chuckles. The driving inspector was a friend of my dad called Mr Green. He wasn't bribed with money; however, I always suspected something underhanded if not amazing had come into play. Mr Green delivered a pass on Cristina's test! She later shared with me Green's comment, made while handing over her licence, " If anyone asks, tell them you won it in a lottery!"
The beginning of my grade 12 year was at hand....
QUESTION: WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST FROM DAYS GONE BY?
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“Certain things, they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone.” - J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
LAURELS TO:
CNN'S ERIN BURNETT. OUT FRONT, INTENSE & HONEST
CLIP OF THE WEEK:
THIS RESEMBLES ONE OF BROTHER CHRISTOPHER'S HISTORY LESSONS
Home life continued much as it had for the last 4 years. The summers were fun-filled days of baseball and football with the neighbourhood gang. In 1955, I found a part time job delivering orders for a drug store via bicycle. I would start at 4PM and work until 7PM on weekdays and Saturdays from 8 AM to 12 Noon. I was paid $5 per week. The hours dictated a late supper but allowed time for Saturday afternoon sports and Maple Leaf Baseball games. Sundays after church, I was driven to Pickering where Gerardo was in the process of building 3 new homes. My job was to clean the basements of the new houses, paint doors and dig service trenches for the homes. In return for my labour I was given access to a 1954 'Slush-o-matic' Chrysler that achieved 10 miles per quart of oil and 12 miles per gallon of gas. I had to share this vehicle with Cristina who was now working at Air Canada for a decent wage.
Since she paid for the gas and oil I had little leverage; however, she was very fair in sharing its use. Maybe I was fortunate that her dates always did the driving.
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| THE SLUSH-O-MATIC |
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| ANTHONY, 1962, IN FRONT OF 368 SPRING GARDEN WIH NEPHEW JOHN & NIECE LAURA |
The beginning of my grade 12 year was at hand....
QUESTION: WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST FROM DAYS GONE BY?
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“Certain things, they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone.” - J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
LAURELS TO:
CNN'S ERIN BURNETT. OUT FRONT, INTENSE & HONEST
CLIP OF THE WEEK:
THIS RESEMBLES ONE OF BROTHER CHRISTOPHER'S HISTORY LESSONS
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